Listen closely and watch up.

British

Ya’ll, Depeche Mode dropped a new single and it’s hitting real close to home.

“Where’s the Revolution” is the latest single from new wave British band, Depeche Mode and the first off their upcoming album, “Spirit” which is set to release on March 17. And one’s thing for sure, they’re not holding back and they’re getting in your face about not only politics, but humanity.

This isn’t Depeche Mode’s first song that skews a little controversial, they have a long list of songs including a personal favorite, “People Are People” which debuted in 1984. “People Are People” takes a look at humanity and how we are all the same with differences that are supposed to make us beautiful but we make ugly. We take religion, politics and race so seriously we let it divide us as people rather than try to work together to better ourselves. We are so clouded in our minds with talk of politics and what we should believe and the people we should believe that we don’t take the time to listen to other perspectives and instead chose to hate and fight each other.

So it’s only fitting that after a four year break, the band comes back with a song to address the current state of the world we live in -and I can’t help but feel like this song is directed at us, the American population.

The sound of the song gives me pieces of their album, “Songs of Faith and Devotion” with the deep baritone voice of David Gahan and the notes of dark rock of “Ultra”. And the lyrics are of course classic Martin Gore, full of thought and actually calling listeners to action.

The song’s opening is my personal favorite; the classic techno sound of Depeche Mode that I recognize and tells me they’re not messing around. Then Gahan’s voice, hallow and almost soft as he sings, “You’ve been kept down/You’ve been pushed ’round/You’ve been lied to/You’ve been fed truths“. This first verse sets the whole tone of the situation that the world – to me mainly America – is facing. He asks, “Who’s making your decisions?/You or your religion/ Your government, your countries/You patriotic junkies“. Are we voting for a certain politician because of our religious views or because they actually have ideas that are beneficial for all? We’re so caught up in religion and politics and quite frankly, the two don’t mix.

The shift into the chorus to me feels a little off though. Gahan and Martin’s voices almost seem off sync and the beat of the music doesn’t fit. It’s almost trying too hard to make a musical point given the heavy lyrics calling people to action, asking “Where’s the revolution?“.

Through the next verse and chorus, we’re led to the great build up of the bridge. The song slows, the techno sound diminishes the lyrics are clear: “The train is coming…so get on board“. We’re heading towards something big, whether it’s a revolution or not, but either way, people need to decide where they’re going and if they’re ready for it. What are we going to do as we hurtle forward in not just Trump nation but humanity overall?

This is the thing I love about music. It’s able to make a statement and have it reach people in a way that we’re going to listen. This isn’t a call to riot or hate politics; it’s a call to humanity to take a look at the world we have created and to stop creating madness and start working toward to better it.